AUSTIN | Projects & Construction II

[shanny]

austex, the fact that austin is the 16th largest city in the country means we arent a small college town anymore.

however, our skyline leads outsiders to believe we are smaller than we actually are (for now).

[Myomi]

Originally Posted by shanny

austex, the fact that austin is the 16th largest city in the country means we arent a small college town anymore.

however, our skyline leads outsiders to believe we are smaller than we actually are (for now).

When looking at population rankings, I find that pure population rankings, which look at just the population of the city limits, very misleading. I think to truly rank cities by size, you have to look at Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) which takes into account suburbs and surrounding areas which encompass the entire scope of a metropolitan area. When looking at MSA's, Austin is still a smaller city, ranked around 37th. Not a small college town, but still a small city. I actually think the skyline matches the size pretty well. If anything, I think, especially with all that is coming down the pipeline, that our skyline will be much bigger than what our size would lead you to believe.

On a side note, it's actually kind of amusing whenever it is suggested that Austin skyline is approaching the scale of Dallas or Houston considering they are 4th and 6th in MSA rankings.

[crewer]

Originally Posted by austex

6 buildings: [Austonian, W, Spring, Ashton, 4 Seasons, Legacy]

What's the Ashton? I thought that was a building in Dallas. Did they change the name of the Altavida?

Also, where does the 360 stand in terms of 100% completion? Are quite a few units occupied now?

Sorry for the lame questions. I'm a bit out of touch here in Bohemianville, er, Asheville.

[AusTex]

For a metro area with 1.5 million in population, Austin is exploding in residential highrise development. Even Charlotte at 1.6 million, which has experienced as much population growth as Austin, has only 126 floors of residential highrise under construction in the entire city. That is in 4 buildings. My amazement is at the total amount of new units/buildings in development at one time. Austin is in the Big League of MSA's when looking at the number of units/buildings under construction.

I moved here 15 years ago from a mega metro because Austin was a much smaller and slower paced city. Every Sunday my weekly bike ride around "town" greets me with more amazement. We are truly in a boom; our downtown transformed before our eyes. It is hard for this 45 y.o. skyscraper junkie to comprehend such a mass perching of cranes in my chosen city. And if the migration continues….wow!

[priller]

Originally Posted by crewer

What's the Ashton? I thought that was a building in Dallas. Did they change the name of the Altavida?

Not officially yet, but that's based on pretty solid info.

[DTAustin]

Originally Posted by crewer

What's the Ashton? I thought that was a building in Dallas. Did they change the name of the Altavida?

Also, where does the 360 stand in terms of 100% completion? Are quite a few units occupied now?

Sorry for the lame questions. I'm a bit out of touch here in Bohemianville, er, Asheville.

360 is closing somewhere around the 20th floor this week. It will take until September for all buyers to close and move in. The finish out of the upper floors is still happening.

[Jdawgboy]

Even 37th largest metro is not too bad I mean at least we are in the top 50. And honestly either way you look at it, Austin is Ranked as the 16th largest City population inside the city limits, nearly tied with San Fransisco at 15. That is nothing to balk at at all. Many cities who are ranked higher in metro population are smaller than Austin by itself. That alone is impressive considering Austin was not even in the top 50 in 1980. Also shows that instead of more people living in the suburbs rather than the core city, more people overall are living inside the city limits of Austin.

[Aiphanes]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Even 37th largest metro is not too bad I mean at least we are in the top 50. And honestly either way you look at it, Austin is Ranked as the 16th largest City population inside the city limits, nearly tied with San Fransisco at 15. That is nothing to balk at at all. Many cities who are ranked higher in metro population are smaller than Austin by itself. That alone is impressive considering Austin was not even in the top 50 in 1980. Also shows that instead of more people living in the suburbs rather than the core city, more people overall are living inside the city limits of Austin.

Yep it is pretty impressive. I remember back in 1986 when I first moved to Austin and it was much smaller than it was today no traffic issues a awesome oasis city..

Actually I just check wikipedia and its 700K for the city and 1.6 million for the metro..

1.6 million people in the Austin metro area is nothing to balk at..

San antonio is only 1.3 million for the city and almost 2 million for the metro area...

That means between Austin and San Antonio there are 3.6 million people.

The Dallas\Fort Worth metro plex is 6.1 million..

Austin is bigger than Ft Worth and San Antono is bigger than Dallas...(just city not metro)

There is no reason why Austin and San Antonio can be a metroplex....it may take years...like 20...but it could happen.

The San Austin Metroplex....just a thought..

[Northcrossed]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Also shows that instead of more people living in the suburbs rather than the core city, more people overall are living inside the city limits of Austin.

Austin isn't land-locked and can annex surrounding areas before they become politically viable, which also expands the ETJ to allow future land grabs. A lesson learned from Dallas' problem.

[AusTex]

Originally Posted by Northcrossed

Austin isn't land-locked and can annex surrounding areas before they become politically viable, which also expands the ETJ to allow future land grabs. A lesson learned from Dallas' problem.

Also, many folk do not understand that states define how their cities are allowed to expand. Many states do not allow annexation across “township” lines which do not exist in Texas. Many states restrict annexation to within county lines also. Some states have annexation boards that set the geographic area a city can annex.

Existing large cities in Texas have the ability to annex to the state border if they can provide services, and do not over run other cities ETJ’s. These are the only major limits in Texas. This is partly why Texas had 6 of the nation’s 20 “most populated” cities in the last census, but only 2 of its “most populated” metro areas. Austin, like other large Texas cities, is able to become geographically huge swallowing more population as it expands. Austin is 16 in city population and about 37 for the entire MSA.

Let’s not forget however, the Texas Legislature has not historically liked its capital city. It needs to be noted that Austin has been forced by state law to negotiate with its surrounding cities, towns and villages and give up much of its ETJ. No other city in Texas has to negotiate like Austin was legislated to do.

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by austex

Also, many folk do not understand that states define how their cities are allowed to expand. Many states do not allow annexation across “township” lines which do not exist in Texas. Many states restrict annexation to within county lines also. Some states have annexation boards that set the geographic area a city can annex.

alexjon may know better about this than I do, but Portland has a similar law. I believe there, developers are required to "build out" undeveloped land within the city up to a certain density standard before more land can be opened up for more development.

[Myomi]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

21Rio also, though it's not technically in downtown. It'll still add to the central skyline.

But...If you are going to count 21Rio, you have to count the dozens of floors and hundreds of rooms that are opening up all across West Campus.

[MichaelB]

Speaking of west campus.... another crane went up on MLK just west of Guadalupe. Not sure what it is. Think it is just a garage.... anyone know?

[KevinFromTexas]

Originally Posted by Myomi

But...If you are going to count 21Rio, you have to count the dozens of floors and hundreds of rooms that are opening up all across West Campus.

I was only considering highrises.

[Northcrossed]

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/s...7/08/construction_stopped_but_stree.html

...
The developers of La Vista on Lavaca, a luxury condominium and office project, took out a permit with the City of Austin on April 20, 2007, to close the block of 17th Street between Lavaca and Colorado streets during construction, said Jason Redfern, manager of the Right of Way Management Division in the city’s Watershed Protection and Development Review Department.

The developers paid $99,900 to the city to keep the street closed for six months, Redfern said. The permit was to have been renewed for the same fee every six months until construction was completed.

The developers renewed their street permit in November 2007 but failed to renew it in April, Redfern said.
...

[Myomi]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I was only considering highrises.

I figured, but I only said that in reference to the original post which was talking about the total amount of building around downtown and how it's a lot for a city like Austin. When you think about the large amount of housing going up in West campus too, then the amount of consturction happening near downtown is really quite amazing.

[ivanwolf]

Originally Posted by Myomi

But...If you are going to count 21Rio, you have to count the dozens of floors and hundreds of rooms that are opening up all across West Campus.

Here is what 21 Rio looks like today.





Here is a view from the Monarch on the 9th floor from Sunday.
SCROLL>>>>>>



Also speaking of the addition of another crane, this is the one on MLK going up today. I remember it being a parking garage, but do not remember if its got retail on the ground floor, with frontage on MLK I would think so.


Sorry its from the cell phone but these give you some detail of the projects.

[Raining Inside]

It's nice to see pics of the campus area. That area is booming, but it doesn't get the attention it deserves because of all the construction activity downtown.

[priller]

Hey, nice pano from the Monarch! Good view of the Spring from there.

[nickxter]

I'm sorry to break the sequence.. but has anyone heard anything about the Kimpton hotel (Hotel Van Zandt)? I keep getting mixed reviews on the project and I've always said that this down town needs more hotels- ESPECIALLY with this population boom